How Recruiters Screen Your Resume

July 13, 2018

Did you know that recruiters need just a few seconds to screen your resume and decide if they will continue reading or not? Yes, seven seconds is all the time a recruiter needs to decide. This initial screening is done to hundreds and in some cases thousands of resume for each vacant position. In this article, we will share with you some tips on how recruiters screen your application or resume and what to do to stand out.

John Smith, a manager in Jobs In GTA, advises that you have to show the recruiter or the hiring manager the information they are searching for as early as possible. The first page of your resume (please do not exceed two pages), is crucial and you have to include all the essential information on it. Keep your resume concise and straightforward.

The first element that the recruiter reads is your name. Make sure that your name is written up top. Some employers hide the name to eliminate any bias or discrimination, but this is a rare practice. If your name sounds foreign, consider using a short-form instead of the full name (this applies to the first name only).

Then the recruiter tries to find your education. Consider adding the abbreviation of your degree right after your name, otherwise, list your education under your name. In the education section, list the year, the name of the degree and the educational institute. You do not need to include a detailed list of all the classes you took. In this section, you can also add any training courses or technical courses you attended if these are relevant to the job you are applying for.

After the education, comes the experience. The recruiter usually tries to find synergy between your previous jobs and experience and the position. Such synergy might indicate how well you understand the tasks and the requirements of the position. In this section, recruiters are also interested in reading how long you stayed in a position.

Usually, bullet points attract the recruiter’s eyes more than run-out long sentences. So, use bullet points to organize and highlight relevant information.

Another critical element that recruiters try to find in your resume is your achievements. Recruiters use your previous accomplishments and successes to assess your suitability. Add the critical information about your accomplishments right after your work history and experience.